Optimizing order confirmation emails is a great way to improve the customer experience. Most businesses send these emails in order to provide their customers with information about their purchase, show gratitude for their business, and help them track their order. However, many businesses make simple mistakes that can greatly improve the customer experience. In this article, we will discuss three easy ways to optimize your order confirmation emails and improve the customer experience.
Why is the Customer Experience so Important to Ecommerce Businesses
The customer experience is the most important factor in determining whether or not a customer will return to your store. In fact, according to a study by Bain & Company, 60% of customers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience.
Think about a company like Apple. Their customers are willing to pay a premium for their products for a number of different reasons, but one of the biggest reasons is the customer experience in the buying journey. Whether in-person or online, Apple puts an emphasis on the customer journey from the moment they hit their website or walk into one of their stores right through unboxing their purchased product.
If you can provide your customers with a great experience, they are much more likely to buy from you again in the future. One way to do this is by optimizing your order confirmation emails.
You may also be interested in our article about using your packaging to enhance the customer experience.
The Value of Confirmation Emails
Confirmation emails have a significantly higher open, click, and conversion rates than traditional bulk emails. In fact, according to a study by Experian, confirmation emails have an open rate of 70.5%, compared to the average email open rate of 21.33%.
What’s more, is that these confirmation emails can be used to improve the customer experience in a number of ways. Through your order confirmation emails, you can:
– Provide customers with all the information they need about their purchase
– Show gratitude for their business
– Help them track their order
– Encourage them to buy from you again in the future
6 Ways to Optimize Your Order Confirmation Emails
1. Make sure they are mobile friendly
When it comes to designing your confirmation emails, ensuring that they are mobile friendly is a must. People use their mobile devices constantly today for everything from checking in on social media accounts, to keeping updated on the latest news, and very often for checking and reading email.
Use mobile-friendly elements like large text and well-spaced out and touch-friendly buttons. Avoid things like multi-column designs that will be hard to read on the small landscape of a mobile device.
2. Be timely
In today’s marketplace, there is no reason one of your customers should not receive a confirmation email almost instantly after placing an order. Customers expect to see a confirmation right after a purchase is made, and are more likely to open and read it if received right away.
3. Optimize your inbox view
The inbox view is what your customer is going to see without opening your email in their inbox in whatever email service they are using. Typically, this will be who the email is from and the subject line.
Use a recognizable from name so your customers can instantly and easily identify who the email is from.
Also, make sure your subject line makes the nature of your email clear. Under the CAN-SPAM Act, subject lines in transactional emails, such as an order confirmation email, must make it clear that the nature of the email is transactional.
Use something like “Your XYZ Order Confirmation” or “XYZ Order Details Inside”, where XYZ would be the name of your business or product.
4. Use a personalized message
Your order confirmation email should always include a personal message. It doesn’t have to be long or elaborate, but it should show that you are grateful for their business. A simple “Thank you for your purchase!” goes a long way.
5. Include all the important information
Your order confirmation email should include all of the important information about the customer’s purchase. This includes the items they ordered, the total cost, the shipping address, and the expected delivery date. By providing all of this information upfront, you can avoid any confusion or frustration on the part of the customer.
It is also a good idea to include relevant links to order tracking information, company contacts (live chat, contact forms, phone number, etc.),
6. Use a friendly and helpful tone
The tone of your order confirmation email should be friendly and helpful. This is not the time to hard sell your customers on additional products or services. Instead, focus on providing them with the information they need in a way that is helpful and easy to understand.
By following these three simple tips, you can optimize your order confirmation emails and improve the customer experience. By providing a personal message, including all of the important information, and using a friendly and helpful tone, you can show your customers that you appreciate their business and are committed to providing them with a great experience.
